The Flowers Of Konoha
by Starforth
Summary: It all starts after work one day...SakuXLee fluff and adventure.
1. Chapter 1

* * *

Don't ask why I did it. I just needed a laugh.

I had spent the best part of the day in the hospital dealing with hypocondriatic patients who insisted that they had tetanus, despite the fact they haven't been injured in months. I knew I'd just see them again tomorrow when they will claim to have a sudden case of the flu.

I wandered wherever my feet took me. I found myself outside of the village, near a muddy river. With nothing better to do, I plonked myself down at a bank, feet dangling into the water below. The river seemed quite deep. _Maybe I should go for a swim,_ I found myself thinking. It was a good thing I didn't!

'Hello Sakura,' a familiar masculine voice called out behind me. I span round to see a grinning, spandex wearing boy. Smiling politely, I stood and greeted him.

'Hello Lee.'

'How have you been?'

'Over-worked,' I sighed. 'That Tsunade is a slave driver.'

'I am sorry to hear that,' he replied, a genuine look of sadness crossing his face. That was something that I loved about Lee; whatever affected me affected him. It was a quality I always found sweet about him, plus he never gave up on me.

'Don't worry about it; I'm off work now,' I said kindly. I raised my arms and offered to hug him (like I said, don't ask why I did it). Lee's eyes opened wide, glancing around him, as if to see if someone else was there. When he determined that no one else was there, he stepped forward.

And tripped.

Lee sailed head first into my open arms, catching me off guard. I fell backwards in surprise, straight into the river, pulling Lee with me. Cold water (at what must have been a billion degrees below zero!!) stabbed at me like knives. My eyes shot open and I tightened my grip on Lee's arm. He was looking at me, hair billowing in the slow current of the river. His features were polished to perfection in the water.

Why was I noticing this?

Lee gripped onto my arms and pulled me up to the surface. I coughed and drew in a welcome breath of fresh air. Realisation of how cold I actually was hit me. Releasing Lee, I tread water, hugging myself.

'Erm…I am truly sorry Sakura,' Lee muttered, colour rising to his cheeks. I giggled.

'Forget about it.'

I waded to the muddy bank, dragging Lee along with me. My kimono felt unnaturally heavy with all the water; I just felt like taking it off. _Although,_ I thought, giving Lee a sideways glance, _I think Lee might have a heart attack if I do._

Smirking to myself, I continued to consider whether to torture him by taking my only item of clothing off, before I noticed it.

Lee's spandex suit just got a lot tighter.

His spandex suit contracted tightly against his skin with the wetness. Unintentionally, I cocked my head to stare at his body. 'Wow,' I murmured. I knew he trained hard daily, but I had no idea that his body would be _that_ good. Each curve - muscle and otherwise - was outlined perfectly by his suit. His biceps were loosely flexed as he leaned up against the bank, shining with dampness. A sudden impulse took control of me. His well defined abs – they **had** to be touched. My arm reached out. He was close.

Lee raised an eyebrow. Poor Lee…he mustn't of known what was going through my mind. Neither did I, for that matter. He grabbed my shivering arm and pulled me over, slamming me into the mud.

'Eww!! Lee!' I squealed; the mud was slopping over my face.

'It is what you get for staring,' he exclaimed, pinning me down with his arms. I couldn't help but notice how strong his grip was, certainly not tight enough to hurt me, but with enough pressure to keep me held there.

'Well, this is what you get for shoving me in a river!' I retorted, flinging a handful of the muck at him awkwardly. It splattered off his stomach, some rebounding, landing in my mouth. Lee laughed as I spluttered, trying to rid the foul taste from my mouth.

_Oh it's on, spandex boy!_

I pushed him off me, then diving at his waist; I pulled him down in the dirt, catching him by surprise. I grabbed a handful of the muck and smeared his face in the thick, brown goop. Pinning him down with an arm, I scrubbed his face, laughing. He pushed the inside of my elbow, making my weight buckle. I collapsed on top of Lee who "casually" caught me in his arms. My head hit off his chest – Lee's arms folding around my back.

_He planned this! I know he did! _I found myself thinking. His body was cool off the mud and water, but somehow he gave me surprising warmth. His heart was beating rapidly, though it was soothing to hear.

'You planned this, didn't you Sakura? Lee murmured.

'You wish,' I replied. He released me in shock, sitting up.

'Did I say that out loud?!' he near yelled. I looked up. Lee was biting his lip, face as red as my kimono. He looked so adorable! I couldn't help but laugh.

'Afraid so, Lee.'

'Sorry.'

'Don't be. I'm glad.'

'Glad of what?'

_Idiot boy,_ I thought. I pulled him towards me and landed a rather mucky kiss on his cheek. (Yet another act of impulse. I seemed very impulsive that day).

Lee gawped at me as if I were insane. He touched his cheek, and then looked at me shyly. 'I bet that tasted horrific,' he mumbled.

'Yeah, good job the mud was there for flavour,' I smirked, dodging a handful of dirt.

'Not like you will taste any better.'

'Not that you'll ever know.'

'I can live with that.'

'No you can't.'

'Afraid I can.'

So we spent the rest of that fateful evening flinging filth off each other, completely unaware of who was watching us in the shadows of trees behind us.

* * *

**A/N**

**This was an attempted oneshot, but I didn't know how to end it.**

**I fail at life, don't I?**

**Critique and reviews pl0x**


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

'You clearly aren't dodging well enough. A medical ninja needs to be able to evade enemy attacks.'

I rolled my eyes. This 'training' was basically a way for Lady Tsunade to let off steam and beat the crap out of me. She's a monster! I mean, that strength of hers; it's a miracle I can even move.

'Yes, Lady Tsunade,' I replied, standing up shakily. She caught me on the left shoulder and my right calf beforehand. This was going to be a pain.

'Once more then,' she said with a stern look. She ran towards me without giving me a chance to catch my breath. I flinched. My eyes closed. I turned away.

Bam!

Paaaaaaaain!!

'HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DODGE ME WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED SAKURA?!' Lady Tsunade yelled from the other side of the training ground. Of _course_ I can't dodge her with my eyes closed. It's just…IT FREAKING HURTS!

I pulled myself up, groaning. 'Ok, sorry Lady Tsunade.'

She sighed indifferently. 'That will be all for today. You rest up; I will be putting you on a mission tomorrow.'

'A…mission?' I've been slightly…well _really_ out of commission since I asked Lady Hokage to be my sensei. Why on earth she wanted me to go on a mission now was beyond me.

* * *

Now I know why on earth she wanted me to go on a mission.

My sensei is evil.

I stood in attention at Lady Hokage's desk alongside a disgruntled team Gai, minus the Gai. Lee was gazing out of the window which would of seemed casual, if his face didn't look strained, or if his eyes weren't flicking quickly to me and back.

'So do you understand the mission? It is a simple deliverance of a scroll to the Hidden Cloud village, in the Land of Lightning. You got that?' Lady Tsunade asked, cocking an eyebrow almost mockingly.

'Yes ma'am,' we chorused, standing up straight. Her gaze dropped to her mountain of paperwork.

'Neji will be team leader. Oh and Lee, Sakura,' she glanced up. 'Try and stay away from any rivers.'

Like I say, now I know why on earth she wanted me to go on a mission.

My sensei is evil.

Lee flushed a deep red and began to shake nervously. I coughed, suppressing a horrified look. Tenten raised an eyebrow at us, obviously eager to here more. Neji, however, wandered toward the door. Too cool for school, that kid.

I threw my sensei a deadly when-I-get-back-I'm-gonna-kill-you face, span and followed Neji out of the door.

* * *

I ran to the gate. Typical. I get placed in their group and I arrive late.

'I'm sorry,' I panted. 'I fell asleep.' Neji had his arms folded, eyes slightly narrowed. Lee was still refusing to look at me.

'Oh erm, that's ok Sakura,' Tenten smiled, waving away my apology. She then glared at the two boys for their less-than-warm welcome. I returned Tenten's smile in thanks and jogged to walk next to her.

The journey to the Hidden Cloud village was uneventful, to say the least. Neji and Lee walked on ahead, neither of them looking at me throughout the long journey. Tenten walked beside me, only out of pity, to keep me company. Eventually, as we were setting up camp for the night, she asked the question I was dreading to hear.

'So Sakura. What happened between you and Lee?' I flinched. Tenten was facing me with a rather unreadable expression. I bit my lip. 'I mean, I don't wish to pry, it's just…' she glanced over at him, pausing slightly. 'He'd usually be gaga to be in the same group as you, but he won't even look at you.'

I breathed. There was no way I could not tell her now. She was only concerned about her team mate; also she had been very kind to me for the past few days. I began to tell her in a hushed voice about what happened by the river.

'…and now he won't talk to me and it's really starting to concern me,' I finished rather exasperatedly. Tenten simply stared at me, mouth hung open. I half closed one eye. 'Tenten?'

Her lips curled into a grin, then she began to laugh hysterically.

'What the hell Sakura?!' she squealed. I cringed. Her laugh was AWFUL! Like two rusted metal plates scraping together. The boys turned to look at what was making the horrific noise. I scratched the back of my head, laughing awkwardly. They returned to pitching the large tent in the sheltered clearing.

When Tenten calmed down (what must have been an hour later) we went back to talking.

'So can you help me Tenten?' I asked pleadingly.

'Sakura, it's really simple.'

'It is?'

'He's embarrassed! Nervous to be around you even,' she said plainly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Now that she's said it, it does seem obvious…not that I'd ever tell her that!

'So…what would you do?' I asked. What could I do?!

'Talk to him?' she replied. 'One of you two needs to start talking to one another, and I'll tell you one thing – Lee doesn't have the guts to.'

I gave Tenten a grateful smile, thanked her and continued to set up the food. It was lucky she was there really. I don't know what I would have done without her feminine guidance.

Neji had already been on watch duty. As had Tenten. Lee was currently sat outside on his own. Tenten woke me up when she finished her watch after Lee left the tent so I could talk to him. So I was just sitting there – biding my time. More like working up the guts! Lee was making things quite awkward between us.

Boys! Honestly!

Eventually, I yanked myself out of my warm sleeping bag, crawled silently to the tent door and pulled the zip slowly. I stepped out to find Lee sitting with his knees tucked under his chin and his arms wrapped around them tightly. He was shivering slightly.

'Penny for your thoughts?' I said, smiling.

Lee's head snapped up. 'Err…' Lee looked rather petrified to see me standing there. I rolled my eyes and sat next to him. He shuffled away slightly. That hurt.

Shrugging it off, I attempted to start a conversation. 'So Lee. How've you been? It feels like I haven't spoken to you in ages.'

His eyes flicked to me before returning to an unknown point in front of him. 'Fine, Sakura. And yourself?'

_Here we go,_ I thought. 'Well, a little lonely to be honest.' I leaned back on my arms. 'I've only had Tenten to talk to really.'

'Oh.'

GAH! TAKE A HINT!

I really, _really_ wanted to get it sorted then. I mean, I miss Lee's company and everything…but it was so damn cold as well. _Let's try that again._

'I'd talk to you, but I think I'd getter a better conversation from Neji with the way you're acting at the minute.' Was I blunt enough?

'How I am acting?' Lee's nose crinkled in confusion. _Apparently not…_

'What's gotten into you, Lee?' Cut the subtleties: time for action! 'You haven't been talking to me.'

'Oh…I did not realize…' He began slowly. That did it. I cut right across him.

'Didn't realize what? That you were purposefully avoiding eye contact? That you always walk on ahead so I can't get to have a nice chat with you?' I whispered angrily. Lee's mouth dropped open and he frantically waved his hands in protest.

'No, no, no, Sakura! It is just…' He paused, dropping his gaze to the floor. 'I did not think you would want to be my friend anymore.'

'Huh?' I certainly wasn't expecting that.

Lee gulped. 'I was acting very inappropriately when I found you down at the river,' he muttered. 'I should not have put you in such an awkward position.'

I blinked. We were only having some fun! I lay a comforting arm on his shoulder and said the first thing that came to my head.

'You are such a dork.'

Ok, that wasn't helpful at all!

Lee let out a small laugh. 'That's all they used to call me in the academy. "Dork Lee".'

I covered my mouth, suppressing a laugh. Dork Lee! Awesome!

'Aww,' I giggled, giving Lee a little hug. 'That's because you are a dork, Lee.'

He pushed me off him, smiling slightly. 'I have you know that was a difficult time for me!'

I pushed him back. 'Stop being such a dork!'

'You stop being so mean,' he said jokingly.

'Both of you, stop flirting! Some of us are trying to get some sleep,' yelled a disgruntled Neji from inside the tent. We looked at each other. Then burst out laughing!

'I mean it, be quiet!' A random shoe flew out of the tent and whacked me on the head.

'Sorry Neji!' I called back, rubbing my head. I made an attempt to reduce my hysterics to a minor giggle. Lee picked up the blue shoe.

'Who do you think this belongs to?'

'I dunno.'

'What do we do with it?'

'Hide it!'

Giggling quietly, we totted away in search of a suitable hiding place for Neji's shoe, ignoring the fact that he could probably find it in a fraction of a second. We were just enjoying our renewed friendship as the sun rose delicately in the distance.

* * *

**A/N**

**I've had two different people mark this before I put this up, so if there's any mistakes, BLAME THEM!**

**I thrive off critisisms and reviews...so...take note?**


	3. Chapter 3

The whole shoe thing was quite the minor inconvenience. Lee and I were proud of our hiding place, till we remembered Neji has the Byakugan. Also, it turned out he was cunning enough to throw Tenten's shoe rather than his own, so hiding it under a giant pile of mud wasn't the best plan we've ever had. And as for Tenten? Well, let's just say she wasn't pleased.

'What came over you two?! Why did you think it would be funny to hide my shoe IN MUD?!' she yelled at us.

'Tenten, it's been four hours! Can you not give it a rest?' I asked, exasperated.

'GIVE IT A REST? YOU WALK AROUND IN A SQUELCHY SHOE FOR FOUR HOURS, THEN TELL ME TO GIVE IT A REST!' Tenten screamed. I glanced at Lee, who looked back. We turned away from an extremely livid Tenten and shared a snicker.

'So. You think it's funny. Do you?' she said dangerously. I quickly covered my hand over my mouth in a futile attempt so stifle the laugher. Lee gazed at me and winked. I couldn't help it! I fell apart laughing. The Angry Tenten reached into her bag to throw sharp and pointy objects at me before…

'Stop it Tenten. We have arrived and I do not wish for you to make a bigger mockery of us than you already have,' Neji said. She blushed and replaced her kunai in her pouch. I sighed a breath of relief. Lee was still tittering wildly. What a simple boy.

I span around to see where we had actually arrived at. I looked down from the cliff we were standing on. Then, I gasped. Turns out that the Hidden Cloud village was built on a large plateau in the mountains. It was extraordinarily stunning. Clouds rolled over the surrounding mountain tops, never dropping on the perfectly crafted houses below – all of which were built by wood and stone so that they were completely in sync with the natural beauty around them. The only issue was the distinct chill that the clouds produced.

We headed down a thin, dirt path to the Hidden Cloud village. Personally, I was shivering like mad. After all, I was wearing only my sleeveless kimono and my stupid short shorts.

Suddenly, a small burst of warmth dropped on my shoulders. It was a green Chunin vest…

'Oooooo!' Tenten squealed. 'Lee's making the moves on Sakura!' Oh, of course. I glanced at Lee, who was now blushing furiously, arms behind his back.

'Be quiet Tenten, you're in a mood with me, remember?' I said slyly, giving her a smile. She smirked in return, drawing hearts in the air. Ignoring her, I tied up the jacket, thanking Lee.

We strolled up to the gate which surrounded the Hidden village. Two Cloud shinobi stood proudly at the gate. They eyed us up suspiciously.

'State your business,' one commanded. He looked extremely war torn; his face covered in scars and stitches. The male's muscles were bulging in his tight shirt as he folded his arms. His partner, however, was his complete opposite. She was intimidatingly tall and attractive, hair shoulder length and glossy. The only sign of her ninja profession was the Cloud headband, which was tied neatly on her right arm.

'We are Leaf village shinobi on a private mission,' Neji told the guards in the politest way he knew now. I analyzed the two shinobi again. Despite the obvious ruggedness of the male, I couldn't help but be… dare I say it…_afraid_ of the female. She possessed a threatening quality even though I had not even heard her speak, or move for that matter.

'You may proceed. Hizakari will be your guide,' he responded after a moment's consideration. The female glanced up at us. Those eyes. Piercing blue as if they could see through your soul. I shivered, pulling Lee's jacket around me tighter. Was I the only one with this strange feeling?

We headed into the village. It was eerily silent. Curious eyes were peeking out of dark windows before disappearing again hastily. Tenten looked from Neji to me. She looked completely baffled. Something was definitely wrong. It didn't take a Hyuga genius to figure it out. My hand slid to my weapons pouch.

We walked in a total silence. The chilly wind blew my pink hair awry. Hastily, I pulled it back into place.

This village…it was so beautiful from the cliff which we first gazed upon it, but up close…it's cold. Heartless. Callous.

We were lead to a small training ground which is where Hizakari stopped, turned and removed a stray black hair from in front of her face. Her eyes bore into me. It was like she wasn't even looking at me, but staring at me none the less.

Tenten gazed around. 'Where is the Raikage?' she asked innocently. Our guide simply smirked.

'It is impolite to leave a question unanswered,' Lee stated. He stepped in front of me, pushing me back with one arm _protecting me._

'So it is,' she replied, not wiping the smirk from her painted lips. I waited for an answer. It didn't arrive.

'Please. Inform me where the Raikage is so we can end our mission,' Lee said forcefully. He braced himself, bringing his arms in front of him defensively.

'It is impolite to adopt a fighting pose whilst talking to a female,' she said mockingly. 'Besides, you have no mission.'

This chick was really starting to grind my gears.

'What's that supposed to mean,' I asked, narrowing my eyes.

'Surely you must have realized by now. You _have_ no mission.'

You what?

'All that we wanted was…'

'The Byakugan.' Neji looked up with them pale eyes. He knew what was going on. Understanding filled his lavender eyes, mixed with pain and memories. He knew. He got it. He understood what she was saying.

I sure as hell didn't.

'Prepare yourselves,' he directed at us.

'Too late.'

You _WHAT?_

Hizakari performed a series of rapid hand seals. 'Ninja art, Ultimate Lightning Taijutsu!' Her body crackled. A blue-white light seemed to be radiating from her skin. Her very chakra became electricity. It pulsed through the air, sounding distinctly like a chidori. It became difficult to hear, to see.

To breath.

The people around me became a blur. White light was shooting off in a variety of different directions. One shot straight toward me. I flinched. I closed my eyes.

Paaaaaaaaain!

A wave of dizziness struck me. The world before me shimmered before fading to a liquid-like darkness.

Then.

Nothing.

* * *

**A/N**

**Well...There we go I have wrote the next chapter, but I think I may leave it for a short while. Tension builder, see?**

**I NEED CRITISISM DAMN IT!! Please.**


	4. Chapter 4

'So what are we going to do Neji?'

'There's nothing much we can do. But there is something _I_ can do.'

Blackness. _Why can__'__t I see?_

'You do not seriously think you are going there by yourself, do you?'

'Well you can't come with me; you have Sakura to care for.'

_Oh. My eyes are closed. Why does it hurt so much?_

'There is nothing you can do, Lee.'

That's right. We've just been in a fight. _"__A medical ninja needs to be able to evade enemy attacks.__"_ Thanks for the tip, Lady Tsunade. I'll be sure to remember it.

I opened my eyes painfully. I was lying on something soft and all I could see was a colourful blur. My hand moved to my forehead and I groaned.

'Sakura?' That voice sounded familiar. 'Are you alright?'

'What hit me?' I asked dumbly, attempting to sit up. My head span instantly and I flopped back down. A bandaged hand pressed down on my forehead. _Lee. Of course._ My eyesight focused more and a worried looking, upside down Lee came into view. Suddenly, I realized I was lying on his lap.

'Try 50 volts to your chest. That's enough to kill you or fibrillate the heart,' another solemn voice replied. My…chest? I looked down. Bloody bandages were wrapped around the outside of my kimono, underneath the Chunin vest I was wearing. _So that__'__s where the pain was coming from._

'Oh right. I'll fix it then…' I mumbled. My hands glowed a steady green colour. A warm, tickling sensation filled my chest as my injuries knitted together neatly. My vision became less impaired. A scared Lee and an unnerved Neji came into a clear focus.

Wait. Neji unnerved? Something must be wrong. I sat up again hastily, this time I didn't fall back on Lee's knees. Looking around, I noticed something was missing.

Tenten.

Where's Tenten.

'Oh. My. God. What happened while I was out?' I searched frantically, just incase she was away somewhere.

'Erm…' Lee scratched his head. His eyes were glassy, as if he was close to tears. _Oh no, _I thought. _This is bad._ The shinobi shook his head viciously, pushing back his desire to cry and put on a brave face.

'When you were knocked out, some of the lightning was conducted off Tenten's weapons, which in turn knocked her out.' He paused, breathing jaggedly. 'Then…then that Hizakari woman grabbed her and is currently using her as a hostage.' Lee began shivering. I don't think it had anything to do with the cold.

I couldn't believe it. No. I wouldn't. Tenten is much better than that. She couldn't be gone. It wasn't possible.

I stared down at my shoes, giving Lee the dignity to cry in privacy.

'Why? Why did she take her?' I choked, pulling my knees under my chin.

'That is my fault,' Neji answered blankly. I looked up at him. This wasn't the same emotionless Neji I knew. At a first glance he'd look the same, but his eyes. They were filled with so much emotion. Pain. Regret. Anger. Suffering. It was a whole new Neji. A Neji I was unaccustomed to. A Neji I did not like.

_Neji__…_

'That…_woman_ was after my Byakugan,' he said angrily, folding his arms. His eyes closed as though trying to erase themselves from existence. 'It is not the first time the Hidden Cloud village has betrayed Konoha to get their hands on the Hyuga Kekkei Genkai. She took Tenten as bait. So now…I have to choose.' He re-opened his eyes and gazed down at Lee and me.

'Choose?'

Neji's fell limply by his side. 'Yes. Choose. Between a friend and my duty as a cadet member of the Hyuga household.'

Neji's fists clenched angrily. He turned away from us in an attempt to disguise the emotion he was beaten for showing. His pale hand felt beneath his headband, running against the faded-green mark which symbolized his pain, his suffering, his lack of choice.

So that was what it was to be a cadet member of the Hyuga household. To have to hide all emotion. To serve unquestioningly. To have to revolve your choices around your _destiny. _

'What is our plan of action then Neji?' I asked, getting to my feet shakily. He spun to face me. He had a confused look etched on his unmarked face. 'You are our leader aren't you? What are we going to do about the situation?' I demanded.

'Plan?' He raised an eyebrow. Evidently, the boys haven't thought this far ahead. It was time for a good old fashioned rallying speech to get them in the mood, Sakura style!

'Tenten is a comrade: a friend. This is the time she needs us most and no stupid mark on your forehead is going to stop me going, even if you two are too cowardly to go,' I said forcefully, jabbing my finger on his headband. Lee stood up.

'Yes Neji, what is our plan?' he asked, smiling. All traces of previous emotions were eradicated from his face and a brave, determined expression had replaced it. Neji's face began to contort with the pressure. _One more push would sort his mind out._

'Come on Neji. Some prodigy you are. You're gonna let a spandex wearing helmet head (no offence Lee) and a kunoichi with no talent whatsoever stroll into enemy territory and rescue the person under _your _command?' I sneered. He glared at me, slightly taken aback.

'Certainly not.'

'So hurry up and tell us the plan!'

We leaned in, listening intently, working out each possibly outcome and how to overcome it, not once mentioning the chance that Tenten may possibly already be dead.

* * *

The Cloud 'shinobi' informed Neji and Lee before she took her leave that she would be found in three days time on a bridge to the south of the hidden village. This description was pretty vague, but it was all we had to lead us to Tenten. It also helped that Neji's shoe-seeking Byakugan could also help us find her.

Neji activated his all seeing eye and spend several minutes concentrating on the country around him. It was amazing that such a beautiful place can host such evil as that woman.

Whilst Neji was preoccupied, I slumped against a tree. We had been hiking for two days straight and frankly, I was knackered. Lee sat next to me delicately. He hasn't left my side since I woke up on his lap, nor would he talk to me. This time I understood. He felt bad. I could see it in his dark eyes. He thinks he's a failure.

Lee stared at a point on the dirt path we had been following, clearly deep in thought, just like that night when he was on watch. He turned to look at me with those sorrowful eyes. I looked back at him. We sat in silence till Lee looked away.

'I thought I lost you.'

I didn't reply. What could I say?

Lee pulled a knee under his chin and wrapped his arms round his leg. His eyes looked glassy. I sighed. Shuffling closer to him, I lay my head on his shoulder. Lee began to shake; I had the strong suspicion that he had started crying. I put an arm around him. It felt oh so familiar. What cheered him up then?

'You are such a dork,' I said, stroking his side gently. He let out a laugh that sounded a lot like a sob. 'You shouldn't cry Lee. Tears are for the weak. You aren't weak.'

He promptly wiped his face. 'Sorry,' he muttered with a slight smile.

'It's ok,' I replied, glancing at Neji. 'I think Neji's waiting on us.' I picked myself up, leaving the warmness that was Lee. We walked up to the smiling Hyuga.

'Found her.'

**A/N**

**I was in an extremely pleasent mood today, then I went on my reviews and it just got better XD. I'd like to thank everyone who's been so supportive while I've been writing this! This chapters for you!**


	5. Chapter 5

I crouched behind a bush. The bridge was in clear view. I nodded at Lee, who was squatting in a tree. He replied with a thumbs up.

The air was thick and humid. A deadly wind blew dangerously through the trees, teasing my pink hair from behind my ears. Frustrated, I tucked it back in place; the last thing I needed was my vision to become impaired by my hair.

I watched as the scene in front of me unfolded. Lethal-black clouds rolled over the dank bridge. Its former glory was forgotten as a once gloriously decorated crossing now remained in ruins, paint peeling in agony and rotten floorboards crumbling away to the vast chasm below. Stood in the middle of the lengthy bridge was that _woman_, Tenten slumped carelessly next to her. Her body was tied and unmoving. Blinking back unwanted tears, I moved my gaze to Neji. He was walking cautiously over the dilapidated bridge, head raised, acting unfazed.

Poor Neji. I would _really_ hate to be in his situation. All Lee and I have to do is sit around and wait for an opportunity to swoop in and grab Tenten.

The wind blew in my face again. I picked quite the strategic spot; the wind would carry their voices in my direction so I can hear them and they couldn't hear a thing I'll do. Lee, being the boy he is, wanted to go on the other side of the chasm, which would have meant him staying in total silence throughout the duration of the battle. Not likely for that clumsy, loud mouthed bubble head! I stuck him at a short distance away from me, where he had already ran into the tree AND fallen out of it. We aren't sure whether the Shinobi had heard him, but it wasn't likely with the high winds in our favour.

Neji held his ground about twenty meters from Hizakari. She was idly picking at her nails with a kunai before she spared him a glance. She threw it casually at him, who blocked it with a wave of his hand.

'So… Have you come to give me your eyes?' she asked bluntly. She stood up straight, putting her hand on her hip in what could be classed as a seductive manner.

'I thought the deal was that you would give me Tenten,' Neji replied dully. _Huh? _I thought. _Wasn't that Tenten there?_

The Shinobi smiled, stroking Tenten's hair. 'Oh, so my disguise Jutsu didn't work?' She put a very fake pouty lip on. 'Such a shame.' Suddenly, Tenten poofed into a cloud of smoke and was replaced by a young woman, no older than 25. Her long, blonde hair was matted with blood. I squinted closer. There was a large gash directed straight from her heart to her lower right side. I grimaced. It certainly wasn't the first time I've seen death, but to use a corpse for such cheap purposes? It's sickening.

And it only gets worse.

'Such a pretty girl,' the "Shinobi" cooed, stroking her bloodied face. Her features hardened into a devilish stare. 'She's useless to me now.' In a flash, she lifted the body and heaved her over the wooden banister of the bridge. My eyes bulged. Neji's fists balled up. A large thud rang from the chasm followed by a splash. My hand rose instantly to my mouth to stifle a scream. How could anyone be so _cruel_?

A green blur bounced onto the scene, landing elegantly on the bridge's banister. It creaked threateningly but held.

'That is no way to treat the body of a deceased person,' Lee growled, brows furrowing as he squatted menacingly.

'So the freak of the team arrives. So where's the last one? You know, the one who looks like she congealed in a bubble gum factory?' She raised her shaped eyebrow. _Congealed? _Cue the angry Sakura.

I bounded over, landing on a safe-ish looking plank. 'Where's Tenten,' I snarled, pink hair blowing dangerously across my face. Hizakari tapped her nose knowingly.

'Now if I told you, where would the fun be?' Neji pulled out a knife viciously.

'Stop toying with us or else…'

'Or else what?' she cut across, smiling sarcastically. 'You'll fight? Look at where we are.'

I had to say, she had a fair point. Our specialties consisted of mainly Taijutsu and I wasn't so sure the bridge could take the strain.

I pulled on my leather gloves. 'If push comes to shove.' I smirked.

Lee leapt up and aimed a spinning kick at her head. She blocked effectively with two blades hidden in her elbow-length gloves. Lee was propelled back, his foot going through a rotten board. While he was attempting to release it, Neji took up the reins, stepping carefully, attacking roughly with his Gentle Fist. Hizakari responded by hacking her blades in Neji's general direction, not giving him the opportunity to land his blows.

I frowned at what was unfurling in front of me, analyzing it quickly. This had to end. Quickly. Otherwise, the bridge could collapse at any minute, effectively killing us all. I glance at the wooden boards which the two were duelling fiercely. They were shifting over four pretty stable boards. I looked behind Hizakari. Stable, rotten, rotten, stable, rotten, rotten, rotten, stable, stable. _Perfect!_

Swiftly, I pumped chakra to my legs and leapt high, twirling gracefully over the two. I landed half on a healthy plank and my foot went clean through the other plank, ripping a large gash up the side of my left leg. I winced at the pain. _I'll probably have to clean that later, _I thought, grimacing at the idea of what could have been infecting my leg.

Neji and Hizakari were still in the heat of battle. They were quite evenly matched in the circumstances given. Saying that, the speed of the females punches were increasing rapidly to beyond even _Gai's_ inhuman speed. She threw a punch, blade soaring forward, scraping the side of Neji's cheek. They paused momentarily, Hizakari smirking at her achievement.

I grabbed the opportunity to motion bringing the enemy in my general direction. He returned the smirk and positioned himself in an oh-so-familiar pose.

'Eight Trigrams, Sixty-four Palms!' Neji intensified his jabbing motions, forcing the Cloud Kunoichi to head in my direction. She was bending in all kinds of unnatural ways to dodge the worst of the Hyuga's deadly attack.

_Just a bit further._

Hizakari stepped back, firing jeers at Neji. You know, the traditional 'you'll never beat me,' or the classic 'this is the famous power of the Hyuga?' Slightly old and very boring.

The Cloud Shinobi stepped evenly on a rotten board. It groaned, but held her weight. I raised an eyebrow. Miscalculation, much? _Oh well. Plan two?_

Ok, I had no plan two.

Improvise!!

I squatted, pumping chakra to my legs again. I jumped up. She glanced at me. Her eyes bulged, bring her arms up defensively.

Too late, sucker!!

I slammed a chakra filled leg on her hands, breaking the wooden floor beneath her. All of a sudden, I felt a sharp pain in the leg I used. I caught a glimpse of Hizakari's face. It was brimming with anger… hate…

…and triumph?

'If I die, you're coming right along with me!' she bellowed angrily.

Then, I realised. She had embedded her blades into my leg! She pulled me at an angle, yanking me out of the air and plummeting down the deep chasm along side her, hearing nothing but her devilish laugh and Lee screaming my name helplessly.

* * *

**A/N**

**Don't complain, I don't usually do cliff hangers XD. My apologies about the lateness; I had troubles with this one. To be honest, I don't plan stories so I had no idea what to do for this one. I still don't!**

**Critisism. Now. **

**Or just review. It's all good man!**


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

The wind cut through me. I was falling. Fast. Blood gushed from the wound in my leg; Hizakari had yanked the blades from my leg awkwardly, leaving a jagged wound. The Shinobi herself didn't seem to think ripping my leg open and flinging me down a gigantic chasm with no possible chance of escape was bad enough, no. She decided it would be satisfactory to claim me on the way down to what I was hoping to be a quick and painless death.

'Die girl!' she screamed over the sound of the wind roaring in our ears. She flung herself over at me, legs flailing uncoordinatedly. I braced myself, closing my eyes, feeling drained.

Suddenly, I felt something grip me under my arms, jerking me horrifically. Also, a blinding pain seared my legs. I let out a loud scream, eyes watering in agony.

The 'something' turned out to be arms, which wrapped themselves securely around my chest. Green. Lee. Obviously. Lengths of thick, brown rope were woven around his bandaged arms.

We swung round; colliding painfully off the rocky wall that framed what would have been my death. I took a sharp gasp. My leg was tearing. I could feel it.

I looked down.

_Hizakari._

She snarled up at me angrily. Two blades were protruding from her gloves again; they were buried deep in my leg. The blood pumped freely, shrouding the woman in a red veil.

The pain. It blinded me. I cried out in sheer agony. My world turned white. Was I going to faint?

Suddenly, Neji scraped down the side of the wall, flashes of blue chakra leaking from his hands. He came to an abrupt stop by woman and lifted a kunai. I winced in pain, shutting my eyes instinctively.

Then. They wouldn't open again.

Black.

* * *

My world was bouncing. Why? I dunno. Don't ask me. I never know what's going on.

Wait. Was I being carried?

I moved my arms around a bit, feeling what I was being carried on. Strong arms? Sort of strange, smooth clothes? Nice abs?

I cracked open an eye. As I expected. Lots of green.

Surprisingly, I seemed to have grown a new fondness to green. Yey green!

Hold on! Stop! Why am I being carried??

I groaned loudly and lifted a hand to my head. Why must everything be so bright and confusing? I pushed myself off Lee's back so I could get a better view of what was going on.

Jumping through trees. There is a sense of urgency in the air. Neji looked particularly frantic – that must be bad news. His movements seemed unflowing and irregular.

'Sakura? Are you awake?' Lee asked in a murmur. I lowered myself down on his back and placed my chin on his shoulder so I could whisper in his ear.

'Lee, what's happening? Please tell me,' I questioned lightly. His shoulders slumped into a sigh.

'It is Tenten.' _Ah. _I forgot… 'We have a lead on her whereabouts, however…'

I tightened my grip on Lee, bracing myself. 'However?'

'Neji refused to speak to me. He used his Byakugan to find her, then he just began to run.'

'Do you think…' I left the question hanging. I couldn't finish it.

'I do not know, Sakura,' he answered honestly. 'We can only hope.'

And on that note, we fell silent. I clung to Lee as he bounded through the sinister forest after the frantic Neji Hyuga.

* * *

We stopped. Yeah, just as sudden and surprising as that. I peered over Lee's shoulder. This part of the forest looked like nothing special; it was exactly the same as the rest. So why did we stop?

Neji stood on a branch in front on us. He was shaking violently, fists clenched. He turned slowly to face us. Byakugan activated, lips curled into a vicious snarl. There was only one word to describe how the Hyuga looked: _evil. _The veins around his eyes bulged in an intimidating manner and the slight pupil on his eye seemed to pierce my very soul. He looked like a man ready to kill.

I was scared. Truly I was.

'Neji?' Lee asked uncertainly.

'They have her,' he scowled.

'Who do?'

'The Cloud shinobi.' He turned his head to the direction we had been headed.

'So…we've found her?' I asked hesitantly. Neji gave a curt nod. _If so, why is he so angry? _

'What is her condition, Neji?' Lee enquired.

Neji paused. 'Bad. She has been put through possible torture.'

_Torture?!_

'Understood,' Lee said sternly. 'What is our plan of action?'

He set me down on the branch as Neji filled us in with his idea of what to do about Tenten (basically it was rest, recover and smash everyone holding Tenten captive up). Suddenly, I realised why I was being carried by Lee – my legs were all bandaged up. I was so tired and my legs so numb I didn't realise how serious my condition was. I concentrated my chakra expertly, knitting together the damaged tissue in my leg.

When I finished up, I tested it tentatively. A little weak, but good enough to hold me in the next battle. I glanced over the condition of the boys resting against their respective trees. My trained medical eye saw the twosome were suffering from prolonged fatigue and Lee had an injury to his lower left leg. I cracked a loose bone in my knuckles then sat next to the leg in question. I pumped chakra into his limb silently. Thankfully, he didn't object and gave me a grateful smile.

It was shocking how damaged his leg was. With mine, it was a simple tissue repair, but Lee's cut was infected badly and was a horrific green colour which matched his jumpsuit perfectly. It must have been agonising for him – supporting both mine and his body weight _and_ leaping through the trees at break-neck speeds.

'Idiot,' I muttered under my breath. Lee chose not to respond wisely, but blushed slightly in embarrassment.

So yet again, I found myself in the situation where the next hurdle was certain to be filled with bloodshed and tears, but that's ninja life. It takes an extreme effort to preserve it.

* * *

**A/N**

**Look at that last paragraph! Hahahaha!! Anyways, sorry about the delay; I've been a little preoccupied :)**

**Again, critique is loved. I'm not forcing you to review, but encouragement helps!**


	7. Chapter 7

For a Hyuga prodigy and a so called genius, planning an original rescue attempt in a confined building wasn't exactly his forte. I stood, arms crossed, eyebrow raised, leaning against the Cloud's lair where they were holding Tenten. Honestly, I should have been at least a little tense, but Neji's plan seemed more of a joke than a Shinobi infiltration plan.

'Ok Sakura – it's time,' Neji said seriously. His face sported a number of false bruises and burns that added to his original collection that tainted his previously flawless face.

'But Neji!' I whined. 'Do you not think that they will expect such a maneuver? Could we not be a little more unique? Inventive? Creative? Do these words mean ANYTHING to you?'

'It is the best plan we have,' he replied for about the hundredth time. 'This plan gives us the perfect excuse to head towards where they are holding Tenten captive.'

'I don't know where that is though! Lee, back me up,' I spat at the green clad boy. His arms raised instantly into a sort of surrender, blabbering incoherent words.

'I can inform you on her whereabouts by using the Byakugan,' he answered firmly, saving his helpless team mate.

I sighed. 'Do we really have to do this?' Neji nodded. 'Alright then…'

Reluctantly, my fingers moved quickly, forming the three seals I had memorized since my Academy days. I ended on tiger and shouted 'TRANSFORM!' Smoke billowed around me, clearing to reveal my new image. The boy's mouths curled instantly into a sub-conscious sneer. I had grown by several centimeters. My hair had grown a slight margin too, falling delicately down to my shoulders and adopting a fresh silky black appearance. I was clothed in a long, elegant kimono with a headband tied to my left arm.

I was Hizakari.

And the boys looked ready to kill me.

'Urm…Neji? Lee?' I asked uncertainly. Their expressions changed slowly into a face of understanding. Yeah, you just watched me transform into this bitch and you think I'm actually that pathetic excuse for a woman? Idiots!!

I breathed a sigh of relief. Neji lifted his arms, wrists together, offering arrest. 'Get on with it,' he scowled. I stepped forward, swinging my hips sexily. No, not for the joy, but to get in character. I pulled out a length of rope and fastened it around his wrists, but added an extra loop so he could escape in case of emergency.

I turned to Lee. 'Be careful,' I said seductively, winking. His eyes narrowed in reply, glaring angrily at me.

That scared me. The Rock Lee? Angry at me? I stepped back in fear.

Oh yeah. I look like _her_ don't I?

I span around and headed away from Lee, tugging Neji along with me, secretly hurt.

* * *

The guard looked up from his desk, squinting wearily at me, then at the pale boy behind me. He only seemed about thirty-five, but his hair was already graying with stress. The Cloud shinobi leaned forward, staring intently at Neji. In return, he activated his Byakugan aggressively.

'This is..?' he left the question hanging.

'It is. A pure male Hyuga specimen sporting the famous Kekkei Genkai – the Byakugan,' I replied proudly, yanking the rope proudly. The guard's mouth dropped comically, pinching Neji's chin and twisting his head as he examined his eyes.

'I would suggest that you remove yourself from me if you do not wish to shorten your life significantly,' Neji growled.

'And I would suggest you hold some respect for your superiors if you don't want me to rip your eyes out here and now!' I spat, slapping his face with the back of my hand. He looked back at me, face with genuine hatred and humiliation. I was starting to like Neji's plan after all!

'Please, Lady Hizakari, enter,' the guard said, bowing low.

'Thank you,' I replied politely, pulling the captive harshly.

We entered without a hitch to find long gray hallways with the occasional wooden door or thin window set into the walls.

'Where to Neji?' I whispered, keeping my eyes forward.

'Take the next left...yes...right now...' he murmured, guiding me through the twisting corridors. 'Lee is just outside this wall.'

'Ok, thanks. Now be quiet!' I snarled, searching for a nearby window.

'There was no need to slap me,' he said with a slight pout. I concentrated my chakra and began to climb the wall to reach the high window.

'There was every need; I had to stay in character, my darling Neji,' I smiled sarcastically. I opened the window and dropped a kunai out of it to signal Lee, then dropped back down the wall. 'Ok, slave, where do I need to go now?'

Neji's eyes pulsed momentarily. 'Forward, the third left and the fifth door on the right hand side of the corridor. That is where she is being held.'

I lifted the dropped rope and followed Neji's directions. I breathed slowly, not knowing what to find. The halls seemed eerily silent and unmoving, each wall the same as the last – lacking characteristic or even a speck of mud. It seemed inhumanly uniform.

I paused outside a door. This one didn't look too spectacular, infact, it was identical to each and every door we had passed. My hand hovered nervously over the circular handle. I looked at Neji for support. Surprisingly, he was sweating, perhaps the first time I have ever seen him perspire in a mission. Even more shaken than before, I grasped the handle, my hand slipping with the sweat on my palms. Twisted. Pushed. Stepped inside. Faced the horror.

The room was large and for the most of it, empty. Cardboard boxes were shoved nonchalantly at the corners of the room, stacked up to the high ceiling. There were no windows and the air was thick and heavy. The only other object in was in the very centre of the room. No, not an object.

_Tenten._

Tenten lay in a heap, face down in a pool of her own blood. Her kimono was shredded to minor scraps of cloth, revealing the majority of her body. Dried blood caked over deep blemishes all over her body. Her once perfectly styled hair dipped loosely into the drying blood surrounding her limp form.

'Tenten...' Neji pulled off his bonds and stepped towards the motionless kunoichi. He knelt in the drying blood and held his hands above her body as if he was afraid to touch her. The boy's eyes scanned over all the cuts, scars and severs. They rose to meet my own.

'Sakura...please...' he begged. He looked so lost, so helpless. So...unNeji. I sighed, shutting the door quietly behind me and returned to my original, pink haired form. I bent down beside him and assessed the damage. Thinking empty thoughts. It wasn't Tenten. It was a body. Not human. Just flesh.

I rolled the body over on its back and straightened the legs. Pumping my hands with chakra, I searched over the stationary figure, looking for a sign of life. I pushed two fingers to her neck, amplifying any trace of a heartbeat.

A faint flicker. Was that a pulse? _Wait...There it is again._

'She's alive,' I said seriously. Neji sighed, but clenched his fists. 'I need back up here; make sure nobody comes anywhere near the door.'

Tenten had lost _a lot_ of blood. I rummaged around in my ninja pouch-bag and pulled out a blood replenishing pill. I placed it delicately in her mouth, her natural reflexes allowing her to swallow it. Next, I quickly located some of the worse injuries and began to knit the flesh back together with some difficulty. The length and cleanness of the cut indicated that she had been stabbed multiple times. There were also signs of whipping, beating and the bruises showed sign of struggle. _Just what did they put you through?_ I found myself thinking.

I made slow progress, sweat dripping almost painfully from my forehead. The colour returned at a snails pace to Tenten's face and her pulse was becoming more defined and more regular, proving her increase in health. But it wasn't safe yet – she wouldn't be for a few days.

We didn't have a few days.

'Neji – I need your opinion.' He looked at me sternly. 'Tenten's condition will not be stable for a few days, but we need to move now...' I paused.

'What could happen to her if we move now?' he asked softly. _Neji has emotion?_

'Her condition could deteriorate and we could be faced with her on the path of death.' Neji's body stiffened. 'However,' I continued, 'it is a possibility, though if we remain here, it is more likely that we will be attacked, resulting in a more possible chance that one of us could be injured or we can lose Tenten.'

Neji stroked his headband, considering the options.

'May I remind you how dangerous it is...you being here?'

His eyes screwed up momentarily, then snapped open. He turned to stare at the door, Byakugan activated.

'Run.'

'Say what?'

'Take Tenten and run. Now,' he said, eyes blazing. 'They're coming.'

'What about you?' I asked, cautiously sitting up the injured shinobi and wrapping Lee's jacket around her for both warmth and dignity.

'That doesn't matter, now go!' he growled, assuming his Hyuga fighting stance. He sounded so forceful, so _scared_. I pulled Tenten onto my back securely and headed towards the door. Neji and I shared a glance. Then, I ran.

My footsteps rung against the empty halls. I could hear scuffling within the walls and angry shouts. I skidded around the corner, heading towards the window where Lee stood beneath. Spotting the open window, I hissed Lee's name urgently.

No answer.

'Lee! You there?' I paused. _Ah, screw it._ I pumped my hand with chakra and punched a hole in through the wall. It crumbled satisfyingly and dust billowed up, catching in my hair. It cleared to reveal a rather shell shocked Lee.

'What are you doing?!' he near screamed in surprise, jumping up.

'Shut up!' I snapped, scaring him slightly. 'I have Tenten – she's badly injured.'

'You…you do?' he blinked. 'Where is Neji?'

'He err…stayed back to help me escape with her…' Lee bit his lip. His eyes flicked from me, to Tenten, to the hole I had created in the wall. Hesitantly, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the forest area behind to the place we rested and recovered the night prior. He silently assisted in helping Tenten down from my back, setting her in a comfortable lying position. His lack of words scared me a little.

'Lee?' I tried. 'Are you ok?'

'Please, Sakura, understand me when I say this,' he said blankly, standing to face me. Lee looked so serious; it wasn't like him at all. 'I have to go.'

'Go?' I asked dumbly.

'You know…Neji needs me now.' He stared off to where the building was situated. Suddenly, he gripped my shoulders and pulled me into a warm embrace. Lee's arms wrapped around my petite frame and held me close. Tentatively, I returned the gesture. His lips moved towards my ears and formed the words: 'I am so sorry.' Then, Lee pulled away from the hug, ripping the warm feeling away. He ran through the trees, leaving me alone with the beaten Tenten.

Somehow, as I watched him go, I had the feeling that no member from Team Gai was going to survive this mission.

* * *

**A/N**

**Not so sure about the last little bit...**

**You know what I write here: Critisize and review if ya want, but I ain't forcing ya!**

**There's no point in me writing these A/N's anymore, is there?**

**Oh wait! A huge thanks to ****PhinalPhantasy for reviewing all my chapters. You have really helped me continue the story and improve it. Thanks :**


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